Gopher-trap.



PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903.

J. M. MERRITT. GOPHER TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

5 E w 5 W W Unites States Patent OFFICE.

JAMES M. MERRITT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

GOPHER TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,853, dated January20, 1903. Application filed September 25. 1902. Serial No. 124.843. (N0model.)

To all whom it ntay concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. MERRITT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gopher -Traps,of which the following is a specification.

In Figure 1 I have shown a central vertical section, the trap beingshown setin full lines and the same being shown sprungin the dottedlines. In 2 I have shown a perspective view of my trap looking into theopen end, the pointed ends of the spring being down, showing that thetrap has been sprung and in a position reverse of that shown in fulllines in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents in perspective the inainspring, withits connected trigger.

In the drawings, A represents the casing of the trap, preferably made ofgalvanized iron, and B the niainspring, rigidly secured to the top ofthe casing, on theinside thereof, by rivets D. This spring is curved atB and has pivotally secured to the lower part thereof the trigger O.This trigger is provided with an indentation O to receive and engage thefree end of the spring-catch E, which when placed in the position shownin Fig. 1 will hold the spring in the set position. The trigger has acircular light-opening C, which will be in alinement with thelight-opening A in the back end of the casing when the trap is set, asshown in Fig. l. The openings A will permit light to enter the trap fromthe outside, which the gopher will see through the trigger. Lightpenetrating the gopher-hole will induce the gopher to enter the trap(the open end being down in the hole) to shutout the light and close thehole. In doing so the trigger is pushed backwardly. This will remove thetrigger from the spring-catch, when the trap will be instantly sprungand the inainspring will drop approximately into the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1 and impale the gopher between the cross-piece Fand the downwardly-projecting teeth B on the spring. An opening 8' isprovided in the niainspring, through which the spring catch is passed insetting the trap. The free end of the spring-catch is long enough topass beyond the indentation O in the trigger when the trigger is drawnto the front in setting the trap; but when the trigger is pushed back itwill release the end of the springcatch and spring the trap. Thespring-catch is secured to the top of the casing by flexible wire G,bent upon itself to form a loop to engage the loop of the spring-catch,the ends G of which are passed through an opening in the top of thecasing made therefor and are then bent down into the position shown inFig. 2. By this construction the springcatch cannot turn around in thetrap after being secured to the top, but is held in and is easily placedin position and is easily removed therefrom when desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is I 1. In a gopher-trap, the combination of a casingclosed in the sides, the top, and at the back end, open at the bottomand at the front end; a cross-piece at the bottom of the casing adaptedto engage the toothed end of the mainspring when the trap is sprung; alightopening being provided in the back end of the casing; a mainspringbent partly upon itself and secured to the top of the casing, the saidspring having sharp teeth projecting downward from the free end thereof,the spring having an opening to premit the passage therethrough of thespring-catch; a trigger pivotally secured to said spring and pro- Videdwith a light-opening adapted to register when the trap is set with thelight-opening in the back of the casin g, the trigger being pro videdwith an indentation therein to engage the free end of the spring-catchwhen the trap is set; a spring-catch movably secured to the top of thecasing and adapted to be passed through the opening in the spring and toenter the indentation and engage the trigger when the trigger is thrownforward, and to be released from the trigger when the trigger is thrownback.

2. The herein-described gopher-trap comprising the casing A closed onits sides, top, and back, a light-opening A in the back of the casing, across-piece F extending across the open bottom and adapted to engage theteeth on the free end of the inainspring when the trap is sprung; amainspring B rigidly secured at one end to the top of the casing, thespring extending rearwardly from ICO v thelight-openingin the casing; aspring-catch G movably secured to the top of the casing and adapted topass through the opening 13 [5 in the spring and engage the trigger andhold the spring in its set position while the trigger is in its forwardposition and release the sprin g when moved to its rear position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have 20 hereunto subscribed myname this 18th day of September, 1902.

JAMES M. MERRITT. Witnesses:

HENRY T. HAZARD, M. G. NIoKELEsoN.

